This invention concerns an improvement and further development of the method according to the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 444,552 filed Feb. 21, 1974, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,957,512, herein incorporated by reference for the preparation of relief structures of highly heat-resistant polymers by applying radiation-sensitive, soluble preliminary polymer stages to a substrate in the form of a layer or a foil; irradiating the radiation-sensitive layer or foil through negative patterns; removing nonirradiated layer or foil parts and, optionally, subsequently annealing the relief structures obtained, using polyaddition or polycondensation products of polyfunctional carbocyclic or heterocyclic compounds carrying radiation-sensitive radicals, with diamines, diisocyanates, bis-acid chlorides or dicarboxylic acids as soluble preliminary polymer stages, wherein
(A) THE POLYFUNCTIONAL COMPOUNDS CARRYING RADIATION-SENSITIVE RADICALS R* contain two carboxyl, carboxylic acid chloride, amino, isocyanate or hydroxyl groups suitable for addition or condensation reactions and, partly in ortho or peri position thereto, radiation-reactive groups, bound to carboxyl groups as esters of the following structure: ##STR2## and wherein:
(b) the diamines, disocyanates, bis-acid chlorides or dicarboxylic acids to be reacted with these compounds contain at least one cyclic structure element.